Reatomizer attachment for internal-combustion engines



July 31, 1923.

Filed Feb. 13

Patented July 31, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. BBIDGERS, O1" FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA.

Application filed February 13, 1922. Berle! llo. 538,212.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN D. Bamonns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Florence, in the county of Florence and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reatomizer Attachments for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device adapted to be arranged in the passageway through the carbureter and intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, for re-atomizing any liquid condensing or collecting in the passageway from the carbureter to the engine, for delivering auxiliary air into the manifold when the engine is running, for automatically priming the engine when it is started after having been run for a time, and for permitting the engine to be readily primed by hand when necessary.

The invention, in the form herein shown, comprises a fitting adapted to be connected between the intake manifold and the carbureter and forming, with the walls of Said members, wells or pockets for receiving'an liquid fuel which collects in the mamfol or at the outlet end of the carbureter. From these wells, an auxiliary air conduit or duct leads downwardly and thence upwardly and has one endo valve is provi ed for controllin the admission of air to this conduit. e form of the conduit makes it suitable for holding a charge of liquid fuel, which may be inserted through this open end, for initially.-. riming the engine, or which may collect in t e wells and pass into the conduit when the engine is stopped. Fuel inserted or collected in the conduit is sprayed into the main passageway when the engine is started, thus enriching the mixture temporarily, and while the engine is running auxiliary air is admitted for re-atomizing any fuel collecting in the wells and for improving the mixture pass in from the carbureter. The auxiliary air va ve is preferably connected to the throttle valve so as to open and close with the latter.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the carbureter and the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine with the re-atornizing device of my invention secured be :1 to the atmosphere, and a tween them, the manifold being shown in dotted lines;

Fi 2 is a similar view of the re-atomizing evice detached;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the outer end of the re-atomizin device, showing the controltinf valve and air passageway in skeletonize outline;

Fig. 4 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the re-atomizing device and the adjacent portions of the carburetor and intake manifold; and,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that in Fig. 4, on a smaller scale, showing a modification of the re-atomizing device.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive of the drawing, it represents a carburetor, b the -1ntake manifold of an internal combustion engine, and 0 represents the re-atomizin device of my invention. The body 1 o the re-atomizing device is a flat metal plate, adapted to be clamped between the opposing flanges 2 and f the carbureter and mamfold, respectively, and rovided with bolt holes t for receivin t e clamping bolts which connect the car ureter and manifold. The plate has a large central opening 5, for permitting the atomized liquid fuel and air to flow from the carbureter through the manifoldto the engine, and in this opening is fitted a section of thin tubin 6, which .preferably projects beyond both aces of the plate, as shown. The opening in the plate is smaller in diameter than the outlet end of the carburetor or the intake end of the manifold so that a part of the plate 1' forms a barrier in the main passageway for catching any liquid fuel which may condense or deposit on the wall of the manifold, or which may be sprayed against it in the form of unatomized drops from the carburetor. The

late and the part of the tubing which ects into the manifold form, with the wall of the latter, a well or ocket w in which the drip from the manifoi d collects in a puddle. Similarl the part 1' of the plate and the part 0 the tubing 6 which projects into the outlet of the carburcter form, with the wall of the carbureter, a well or cket w in which unatomized fuel sprayed from the carbureter collects. The plate has a bore 7 extending from its lower edge upward to the opening 5, and in the lower w ll of the tubing 6 is fitted a short piece of tubing 8 which re ters with the bore 7 and projects into t e main pamageway, forming a continuation of said bore. Asmallperforation '9 extends through the part 1" of-the plate from the well 10 into the bore 7 and a similar perforation 10 extends from the well 10' into said bore. In the bore 7 is fitted one end of a U-shaped tube t, saidend extending to apoint about in line with or slightly above the perforations. 9 and 10 and ing preferably contracted at its outlet to form a nozzle, as shown at 11. This tube extends downwardly and then upwardly, so as to retain any liquid draining into it from the wellsand is fitted into a bone 12 in adpart of the plate 1 which extends at one si e of the flan of the carbureter and intake manifol Ashort section of tubing t'isfitted into the upper end of said bore and projects above the plate. Between the tubes 8 and t is arranged a valve 12, consisting of a disk 13,=having a notch 13 cut in its eripheral wall, which notch registers'with t e bore 12 in one extreme position of the valve and closes said bore inthe otherextreme poaition of the valve. This valve is opera by a lever 14, which is adapted to be connected to the throttle valve lever 15, b suitable means, so that the two valves wil move simultaneduslytoward their closed and opened positions; The upwardly projecting tube at constitutes a priming cup by which liquid fuel may be fed into the tube 1%. for a priming charge. It will be evident then that when the engine is cranked. and a partial vacuum is created in the intake manifold, the valve bein artl' o n, auxiliary air will flow through lihe tiibe and force the li uid fuel in a spray through the nozzle an of Sflld tube into .themain passageway between the carbureter and manifold. While the motor is in operation, any fuel drops condensing or collecting on the wall of the manifol will vitate into the well as and will be sue through the orifice 9 by the aspirating effect of the air issuin from the nozzle of the auxiliary airconduit t, and will be atomized and sprayed into the main air p218- sagewa and flow thence to the en 'ne. fuel -co ecting in the well w wi be likewise sucked through the orifice and atomized and sprayed into the main p way. When the en 'ne steps, a eonsiderale amount of fuel wil drain from the intake pipe into the well 10 and will then flow by vity through the orifice 9 into the conuit t, where it will remain until the engine is again started. When the engine is started this fuel will be sprayed by the auxiliary air into the main air pass way and will enrich the mixture temporarily which is desirable for starting. Thus, the device is self priming. When the choke valve 111 b carbureter is closed, in starting, to cause a heavy spray of fuel from the fuel nozzle, this spray is poorl atomized and a considerable quantity ofit drops backand collects in a'pool in the carburetor. -Wlien the reatomizer of my invention is used, this unatomized fuel issuing from the fuel nozzle and striking against the wall of the carbureter outlet and the body of the reatomizing device, collects in thi well 10 and is drawn through the opening 10 and atomized by the air stream issuing from the tube 23.

While the ordinary auxiliary air devices must be closed for starting, to prevent the mixture from becoming too lean, this device may be opened along with the throttle and it causes an initial enrichment of the mixture. After the motor has started and is running normally the auxiliary air assists in atomizing the fuel in the main pewa causing the mixture to become leaner an improves the combustion, thus increasing the efliciency of the engine.

In order to increase the suction at the outlet of the auxiliary air duct, I preferably place a barrier 16 across the mam air assageway at the rear of the outlet 8, an incline the lower forward end of the tube 6 upwardly, toform a barrier 17 in advance 0 the outlet tube 8, so that the latter is in a sort of pocket formed b said barriers. The mixture from the car ureter flowing over said barriers will lower the pressure in the ket andsincrease the auction at the out at of the auxiliary air conduit. preferably bevel the end of the outlet tube downwardly and forwardl as shown, in order to permit the air an spray issuing therefrom to more readily take the direction of the current of mixture flowing to the intake pipe. ts liquid fuel may collect in this pocket, I provide a rforation 18 at the base of the barrier 1 to fuel to drain into the well w. 16 and 17 are desirable but not essential, and in Fig. 5 these features are omitted.

It is believed the operation will be clear from the foregoing without further description. In the rawing, the carbureter is arranged with a horizontal outlet, but the device is adaptable, with slight changes, for an arrangement wherein the carburetor outlet is vertical. Also, while the re-atomizing device is shown as a fitting clamped between the carbureter and intake manifold it may bemade as a component part of either, by casting the plate 1 inte l with the carbureter or with the manifol What I claim is:

1. The combination with the carburetor and intake manifold of an internal com bustion engine, of a re-atomizing device therebetween, said device forming, with the maifold, a well for the collection of liquid rmit this e barriers fuel and having an auxiliary air duct leading downwardly from a point outside the passagewa through said members and thence upwar 1y into said passageway and communicatin with said well.

2. The com ination with the carbureter and intake manifold of an internal combustion engine of a re-atomizing device forming, with the manifold, a well for the collection of liquid fuel and'having an auxiliary air duct leading downwardly from a point outside the passageway through said members and thence upwardly into said passageway and communicating with said well, and a valve for controlling the flow of air throu h said duct.

3. he combination with the carburetor and intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of a re-atomizing device forming a well for the collection of liquid fuel in the passageway through said members and having an auxiliary air duct leading downward] from a point outside the passageway and thence upwardly into said passageway, said duct having a contracted portion forming a nozzle adjacent its outlet, and said device havin an orifice connecting said well and duct a jacent said nozzle.

4. A device for the purposes set forth comprising a plate adapted to be clamped between the carbureter and intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and having an opening adapted to form a art of the passageway through said mem rs said plate forming, with the carbureter and manifold, wells for the collection of liquid fuel, an auxiliary air tube connected to a part of the plate outside the manifold and extending downwardly and then upwardly to said passageway and communicating with said wells, and a valve for controlling the flow of air through said tube.

5. device for the purposes set forth comprising a plate adapted to be clam ed between the carbureter and intake mani old of an internal combustion engine and having an opening adapted to form a part of the passageway through said members, a tubular member fitting in said opening and projecting beyond the face of the plate and an auxiliary air duct extending through the wall of the tubular member, barriers in said latter member at the front and rear of said duct, said tubular member having a drain openin and said plate having an orifice below said latter member extending from the face of the plate to said duct.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signanature.

JOHN D. BRIDGERS. 

